Electric smoothing iron



J. G. FISHER.

ELECTRIC SMOOTHING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. I92I.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922..

S SHEETS SHEEI I.

J. G. FISHER.

ELECTRIC SMOOTHING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, I921.

Patented Nov. 14; 1922.

HEE 2 3 SHEETS S I INVENTOR A TTOR/VE Y8 J. G. FISHER.

ELECTRIC SMOOTHING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, I921.

1, 13,833 1 Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

S SHEETS-SHEET 3 flaw/4% A TTORNEYS .Patentecl Nov, 14, 1922.

v ofthe operator.

UNITED STATES 1,435,831 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. FISHER, OF McLEA N, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANK M.

' FISHER, OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRIC sxoo'rnmo IRON.

i Application filed September 2, 1921. Serial No::497,913

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JOHN G. FISHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of McLean, in the county of Fairfax and State of Virginia, have invented certain an electric iron of this character which has organized therewith a quick breaking and nonarcing-switch and operating mechanism therefor susceptible of beingcontrolled by the person using the iron with the same hand that is utilized for manipulating the iron whereby the current may be controlled without releasing or depositing the iron and without necessitating the application of a great degree of strength or effort on the part Another object is to provide an iron of this character which is of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation and easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the in-- vention reside in certainnovel features of parts being broken awa construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully describedvv and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to'the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in transverse vertical section of an embodiment of the invention,

and shown in elevation vfor the sake of ilustration;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view, illustrating the major elements of the organization, parts being omitted for the sake of illustration; 1 V

Figure 3 is a view in transverse vertical section, parts being broken away and shown in elevation for the sake of illustration;

Figure 4 is a group view in perspective of the elements of the quick breaking and nonarcing switch;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the iron stand adapted to coact with the operating mechanism of the switch;

Figure 6 is a view side elevation, parts being broken away for the sake of ilustration of another en'ibodinwnt of the invention;

I Figure '7 is a perspective view of the iron stand adapted to coact with the-operating mechanism of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the" sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiments of .the invention and more particularly to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive the numeral 10 designates the body portion of the iron upon which a casing 11 is mounted. A handle frame 12 is arranged on the casing 11 and includes a base 13, secured in position by bolts 14, and upstanding legs 15. A handle, designated generally at 16 extendsibetween the lugs 15 and is secured thereto. The handle 16 includes a stock 17 of wood formed to provide a convenient grip and bored longitudinally to accommodate a metallic rod 18 which extends between and is secured to the legs 15 by means of'screws or similar fastening means '19. The ends of the stock 17 are hollowed out to house and accommodate the screws 19 and terminal portions of the legs 15.

An electric heating element, designated generally at 22 isassociated with the iron, being superposed on the bodyportion and housed within'the casing 11. 'The electric heating element preferably comprises a' ated at 23 in which the convolutions of t e ribbon or resistance block of mica, desi wire, designated at 24, are embedded. A

block of insulation, indicated at 25, and-including sections 26 and 27 is arranged on the casing 11 adjacent'one of the legs 15. The section 26 of the block is secured to the casing 11 by means of screws or other fastening means 28. -A airof bindin posts, the members of whic are designateu at 28 and 29, is'mounted on the insulation block 25. A third, or intermediate binding post 30 is also. mounted on the'insulating block 25, bein arranged between and spaced from the binding posts 28 and 29.

.A wire 31 leads from one end of the electric heating element 24 to the binding post 29 and the other end of the electric heating element isccnneoted by, av wire 32 to the binding post 30. A wire 33 leads from the binding post 30 and connects with a terminal 3 1 of a quick breaking and non-arcing switch 35, the other terminal 36 of the switch being connected by a Wire 3? with the binding post 28. The binding til posts 28 and 29 include studs 28" and 29 adapted to be secured in a socket connection 38 which connects by a flexible conductor 39 with any suitable or convenient source of current.

The switch 35 includes a'frame 40 in which an oscillating shaft 41 is journaled. A contact carrier 42 is fixed to the shaft 41 and partakes of the motion thereof. The contact carrier 42 includes an arm 43 and a notched or recessed lug 44 for a purpose which will presently be described. An oscillating blade or contact 45 is secured to the contact carrier 42 and includes double sets of contacts, designated at 46 and 47 at its ends which coaot with the terminals 36 and 34,-respectively. The sets of contacts embrace the terminals and have a snug engagement therewith over a relatively great area so that a heavy current can traversethe switch for an indefinite time without heating. A double-acting coil spring 50 is arranged on the shaft 41 and has its terminals 51 odset outwardly and engaged with the opposite sides of the arm 43 of the contact carrier. As shown in Figure 3 the arm 43 operates in an arcuate slot 40 provided in the frame 40. An operating bar 55 is slidably mounted on the frame 40 and is provided with an elongated slot 56 which receives the shaft 41. The operating bar 55 includes a driving arm 57 which extends between the terminals 51 and 52 of the coil spring 50 and which alternately engages these terminals to alternately tension the coil spring50 in opposite directions. A spring pressed locking pin 59 is mounted on the frame 40 and coacts with the notched lug44 of the contact carrier. A. collar 60 is provided on the locking pin 59 and coacts with the double acting tripV 61 carried by the operating bar 55. hen the operating bar 55 is moved in either direction its driving arm 57 engages one of the terminals of the coil spring 50 and tensions the coil spring. The terminals of the coil spring 50 which is not engaged by the arm 57 engages the arm 43 of the contact carrier and tends to move it. The contact carrier is however locked against movement by the engagement of the lock pin 59 of the lug 44.

Thiscondition prevails for the greater part of the travel'of the operating bar. When approximately the maximum tension has been stored in the coil sprin 50 by the.

action of the driving arm of t e operating bar the trip 61 carried by the operating bur engages the collar 60 of the lock pin and withdraws the lock pin from its engagement with the lug 44. This releases the contact carrier and the heavy tension then stored in the coil spring 50 is effective to impart a quick and a forcible movement to the contact carrier and the contact or blade 45, the spring being eflective for this purpose since one of its terminals engages the arm 43 of the contact carrier, the other terminal being engaged bythe driving arm 57 of the operating bar. Thus the circuit is broken quickly and in two places at each end of the blade or swinging contact, and arcing is entirely precluded.

Operating mechanism is provided for the switch 35 and includes an operating rod 65 slidably journaled in abearing provided therefor in the handle and connected with the operating bar by a coupling block 66 of insulating material. A coil spring 67 is arranged on the operating rod 65 and abuts the metal rod 18 at one end and a cross head 68 at its other end. The cross head 68 is formed on the operating rod and is provided at its ends with trunnions or pins 69. An operating lever 70 is pivotally mounted, as at 71, upon one of the lugs 15 and is provided with slots 72 which receive the pins 69 to provide a pin and slot connection between the operating lever and the operating rod. The switch 35 is arranged below the operating lever and its casing is secured to the adjacent leg 15. The coil spring 67 urges the operating rod so 'as to move the operating bar to open the switch and when it is desired to close the switch it is only necessary for the operator to grasp the operating lever 70 with the fingers and move it upwardly into engagement with the handle, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. This movement of the operating lever imparts a rectilinear movement to the operating rod by virtue of the pin and slot connection between the lever and the rod, and the movement of the operating rod is transmitted to the operating bar and the other elements of the switch as'has been hereinabove fully described. It is to be noted that by so relating the operating lever to the handle and organizing the switch and its operating mechanism therewith that the switch may be actuated or controlled by the fingers of the hand without removing the hand from gripping engagement with the handle. The switch 35 requires but approximately one-fourth inch movement of the operating rod to open or close the switch. Moreover this one-fourth inch movement is the maximum obtained from any lever attached to the handle of the iron and susceptible of operation without releasing the grip on the handle or being required to grip the lever with such pressure as would make it impractlcal. llt is this short movement that is required of the operating rod that makes it possible to control the movement of the iron while ironing with but a slight movement of the lever.

An iron stand, designated generally at 75, is provided and includes a base 76 supported upon the short leg 77 and an iron receiving table 78 vertically spaced from the base 76 and adapted to receive the iron. A standard 79 extends upwardly from the table 78 and carries a laterally extending arm 80. When the iron is placed upon the iron-stand, the arm 80 extends across but immediately beneath the handle 16. If it is desired to heat the iron and maintain the current on while I the handle the current is at once shut off since the spring 67 effects opening of the switch.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6, the electric iron is designated at 85 and is in all respects identical with the electric iron in the foregoing embodiment, the only difference residin in the operating mechanism for the switcdr which is here designated at 86. The switch is identical with the switch 35 of the preceding embodiment and is controlled by an operating rod 87 journaled for reciprocatory movement in a longitudinal bore provided therefor in the stockof the handle of the iron and connected with the switch by motion transmission mechanism which includes a bell crank 88 actuated from the operating rod 87 and in turn driving a connecting rod 89 which is secured to the operating bar 90 of the switch 86 by an insulating coupling 91. The operating rod 87 is urged to position to open the switch 86 by a coil spring 92 arranged on the o crating rod and abutting at one end a shoul er 93 provided on the handle and at the other end a pin 94 provided on the opcrating rod. An operating lever 95, preferably a thumb lever, is pivotally mounted on the handle frame and isconnected with the operating rod by a link or arm 96. When the thumb lever 95 is depressed the operatin rod 87 is moved against the action of the coi lspring 92 to close the switch 86.

An iron-stand, designated generally at 97, is provided and includes a standard 98 having an offset end or arm 99 engageable with the link 96 when the iron is placed on the stand. When it is desired to maintain the switch 86 closed when the iron is on the stand so as to heat the iron at thistime the thumb lever is depressed and is held depressed while the iron is placed on the stand and the link 96 is engaged with the'arm 99. The arm 99 .is then effective to hold the operating rod in such osition as to maintain the switch closed. t is obvious that at all other times except when the iron is so placed on the stand that the link engages with the arm that the spring 92 will be effective to move the operating rod to open the switch .easily controlled by the operator while manipulating the iron. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 the operator uses one or more of the fingers of the hand without releasing his grip on the handle and with the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the operator uses the thumb for controlling the current while still maintaining his grip on the handle. In both forms the current may be maintained on while the iron is on the stand if it is desired to do so but .unless the'operating mechanism is deliberately set to maintain the current on, the switch will be opened and current will be cut off as soon as the operator releases the pressure on the operating lever whether this lever be the lever shown in Figures 1 to 5 or the thumb lever 95 of the embodiment shown in Figure 6.

I claim:

1. In an electric iron, an iron body, a'

handle associated therewith, an electric heating element associated with the iron body, a quick breaking and non-arcing switch for controlling the flow of current to said electric heating element and including a pair of terminals, an oscillating contact having its ends engageable With said terminals, spring means for quickly and forcibly actuating said oscillating contact and operating bar for said spring means and operating mechanism for said switch including an operating rod slidably journaled in the handle and connected with the operating bar of the switch, an operating lever pivotally mounted on one of the legs and connected with the operating rod and a spring for urging said operating rod to open said switch.

2. In an electric iron, an iron body, a casing on said iron body, a handle frame including a. base secured to the casing and upstanding legs, a handle extendin between and secured to the legs, an electric heating element, a quick breaking and non-arcing switch for controlling the flow of current to the heating element and arranged on the casing adjacent one of the legs of the frame, an operating rod for the switch slidably journaled in the handle, an operating lever pivotally mounted on the frame and having pin and slot connection with' the operating rod, and a spring for urging said operating rod to open said switch.

3. In an electric iron, an iron body, a handle associated therewith an electric heating element associated with the iron body, a quick-breaking and non-arcing switch for controlling the fiow of current to said elec- &

tric heating element and including an operating bar, said handle having-1r transverse bearing alined with said operating bar, an operating rod slidably journaled in the bearin of said handle, a coupling block of insu ating material connecting the rod and the bar, an operating lever, and a pin and slot connection between the operating lever and the operating rod.

4. lln an electric iron, an iron body, a handle associated therewith, an electric heating element associated with the iron body, a quick-breaking and non-arcing switch for controlling the flow of current to said electric heating element and including an operating bar, said handle having a transverse bearing alined with said operating bar, an operating rod slidably journaled in the bearing of said handle, a coupling block of insulating material connecting the rod and the bar, an operating lever, a cross head carried by the operating rod and having lateral pins, said lever having slots coacting with said pins to provide a pin and slot connection between the lever and the rod, and a spring on said rodfor urging said rod to open said switch and abutting said cross head at one end and said handle at the other en 5. In an electric iron, an iron body, a handle for the iron including a stock having a longitudinal bore therethrough, and electric heating element associated with the iron body, a quick breaking and non-arcing switch for controlling the flow of current to said electric heating element and including an operating bar, an operating rod slidably journaled in the bore of the handle, motion transmission means between the operating rod and the operating bar, a thumb lever, a link connecting the thumb lever and the operating rod and a spring for urging the operating rod to position to open said switch.

JOHN Gr. FISHER. 

